A JUNIOR tournament on May 2 will launch the biggest and most comprehensive junior golf tournament ever undertaken at Hurlston Hall Golf Club.

A JUNIOR tournament on May 2 will launch the biggest and most comprehensive junior golf tournament ever undertaken at Hurlston Hall Golf Club.

It will attract many of the leading junior golfers in the area, with prizes in the 18-hole and nine-hole categories. In addition:

* Hurlston's junior representative team will be playing in the North Lancashire Junior League "a challenge they are looking forward to with eager anticipation," said junior chairman Joe Weston.

* Two additional major junior competitions will be introduced, a pairs matchplay and a gold medal championship trophy.

* There will be more than 36 internal junior competitions whenever there is a school holiday, while all other existing tournaments will continue, including player of the year and the junior championship.

Baldwin's England call-up >>>

>Baldwin's England call-up>

LOCAL players Matthew Baldwin and Paul Waring have been chosen to represent England in the Portuguese Amateur Championships, which starts next week.

They will be joined by James Ruth. All three are members of England's World Class Performance Programme Elite Squad.

The Portuguese Championship takes place at Estela Golf Club from February 23-27.

All three players have recently completed the English Golf Union's warm weather training week at the Fancourt Golf Resort in South Africa.

Ruth and Waring are returning from Australia after competing in the the Lake Macquarie International followed by the New South Wales Medal.

Last year, Baldwin, as England boy captain, led his squads to victory in the European Boys Team Championships in Finland as well as the Boys Home Internationals.

The Lancashire champion, who will turn 19 on February 26, also finished third in the Carris Trophy, carded a course record 13 under par 61 in winning the Silver Pheasant at Fairhaven in August, and is a former winner of the English under 16 Championship for the McGregor Trophy.

Now playing out of Royal Birkdale, Baldwin is also a member of the 2005 Walker Cup squad.

Waring, who celebrated his 20th birthday on February 2, is a former England boy captain and another player with international experience at all levels.

Also a former McGregor Trophy winner, the Bromborough player has represented England in many foreign events.

In 2004, the Cheshire teenager finished runner-up in the Duncan Putter in Wales before winning the Peugeot Classic in France, where, together with Lawrence Dodd and James Smith, they won the Nations Cup for England.

Good year for the ladies at West Lancs >>>

Good year for the ladies at West Lancs>

LADIES from West Lancashire Golf Club have enjoyed a successful 12 months.

Caryl Evans won the medal winners' knockout competition and Taylor Trophy while Kathie Stubbs's efforts left her with a prize-winning haul which included the the Senior Vets aggregate trophy, the Newcombe Vase for the best nett scores in the four main meetings and also the Crystal Bowl aggregate trophy for the best gross scores in the four main meetings.

Jackie Rooney picked up the Masheder Trophy for the best nett aggregate scores in the four main meetings while Cori Lee and Monica Salt were the winners of the silver salvers in the St Andrews foursomes.